Signaling device for graves.



G. R. ZIMMERMANN a V. G. GUSTAFSON.

y SIGNALING DEVICBFOB GRAVES.

APPLICATION FILED HAYQ, 1908. 925,260, Patented June 15,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1HE Hemus Firmas Co., wAsHmcroN. D. c.

- G. B.. ZIMMBRMANN & V. GL GUSTAFSON.

SIGNALING DEVICE POR GRAVES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED MAY 9,1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CARL R. ZIMMERMANN AND VICTOR G. GUSTAFSON, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

SIGNALING- DEVICE FOR GRAVES.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL R. ZIMMER- MANN and Vieron G. GUs'rAivsoN, citizens ol' the United States, residing at Joliet, county ol' Will, and State oi' Illinois, have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Signaling Devices for Graves, el which the following is a specilication.

Our invention relates to signaling devices l'or graves l'or announcing at a central station any reviviication or disturbancev drawings forming a part ol this specilic ation and in which,

Figure 1 is a view ol` the device, partially in elevation and partially in section illustrating in diagram the arrangement ol the circuit. Fig.2 is a detail vertical sectional view, Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view ol the apertured portion olI the casket illustrating the closures for the same in place, Fig. a is a bottom plan view o'll the adjacent portion oll the rough box, illustrating a closure l'or the aperture therein in place thereon. Fig. 5 is an elevation ol one ol' the circuit closers, and Fig. G, is a section o'l' the same.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates a casket, and 2 the lid thereof, which is provided with a suitable aperture 3 at any desired position therein. provided with a metal bushing which comprises the internally threaded cylindrical portion @i adapted. to tit snugly within the aperture 3, an annular alate or lflange portion 5 secured to the upper lace olI the lid 2, and an inwardly extending flange 6 at the lower end olI the portion 4. The llange o is oll annular form and l'orms a shoulder 7, the purpose ol`,which will appear hereinafter. The annular lijlange 6 is internally threaded as at 8 to receive a threaded plug or closure 9, which is provided with a peripheral flange or shoulder 10 to limit its inward movement. When the plug 9 is in place, its upper lace 11 is in a plane with or Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led Ivay 9, 1908.

The aperture 3 is Patented June 15, 1909.

Serial No. 431,890.

preferably slightly below the plane ol the upper face 12 of the annular plate portion 5. 13 indicates a plate i'or covering the threaded recess or socket 14 ol' the bushing,

and the plug 9. To secure the plate in position, it is provided with a depending threaded lug or screw 15 which is tapped into a recess 16 in the center oi' the plug. This gives a neat appearance to the casket. The plate 13 is removed before placing on the cover 17 oi' the rough boX 18. Alter the plate 13 is removed, and the lid 17 placed in position on the box, a stand-pipe or conduit 19 having a threaded lower end 2O is screwed into the socket 111 ol the bushing, the shoulder 7 oi' the flange 6 limiting its inward movement. The conduit 19 extends above the level oi' the ground and alter it is in position the plug 9 is removed by an instruvment having a threaded end adapted to enter the threaded recess 16. The threads olA the recess 16. are opposed to those olVl the recess 14, that is one is right hand and the other left, so that by turning or screwing in the instrument, the plug will be unscrewed and may be readily removed. The lid 17 `is provided. with an aperture 21. to permit the conduit to pass therethrough, and a rubber ring or gasket 22 is arranged about the conduit to tightly close the space between the same and the walls ol the aperture.

The pipe 19 as bel'orc stated extends to or above the surl'ace ol' the grouni'l, and to its upper end is secured an extension 23. rl`he extension 23 is provided with a telescopic member which in one position serves as a closure for the conduit, and in another position, acts as a ventilator to admit air through the same to the casket. rlhe extension is also provided. with electrically controlled means l'or operating the ventilator and a hood closing the upper end against the weather. The telescopic member comprises a sleeve 24 slidably mounted in the upper end ol the extension 23 of the conduit and has a circular closure 25 which extends beyond the rim of the sleeve 24 forming an annular flange 2G which is adapted to rest upon the upper' end 27 olI the conduit when entirely depressed, a gasket 28 being provided on the underl'ace ol the flange for tightly closing the joint, if necessary. The upper end ol' the sleeve 24- is formed ol' ne mesh wire netting 29 forming a slight ventilator, and we prefer that the sleeve be held normally in the posilll) tion shown in Fig. 2 With the ventilator 29 above the edge 27, ol' the extension to admit fresh air into the casket. The sleeve 24 is held in this position or entirelj.'Y closed hy an electrically operated latch, and a spring 30 is provided for raising the sleeve into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 when the latch is released. rlhe portion ol' the sleeve 24 immediately below the netting 29 is provided with a plurality oi longitudinal slots 3l Which admit air in large volumes When the device is raised. T he spring 3l) is arranged Within the sleeve 24 and is interposed between the top 25 and a spider 32 supported Within the device in a manner hereinafter described.

33 indicates the latch which is pivotally mounted as at 34 vwithin the sleeve 3 and provided With an ear or lug 35 which engages lugs or ears 36 and 37 upon the sleeve to hold the device in closed or partiallyT opened positions respectively.

38 indicates a spring Al'or normallyv holding the latch in engagement with the lug 36 or 37. The end ol' the latch forms an ari-.nature ci an electro-magnet oi' which 40 and 4l are the poles.

42 is a bracket arranged vwithin the extension 23 iorfsupporting the magnet, and the spider' 32 is supported upon the upper end ol' the magnet as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Suitable means are provided 'whereby appreciable movement el the limbs el the buried person, Will establish a circuit 'through the magnet releasing the latch and permitting the ventilator to be l'ully opened and will also sound an alarm. To this end, circuit closers are provided Which are adapted to be secured to the person so that perceptible movement Will operate the saine. ln practice a plurality of circuit closers are employed in order to detect movement in au]v direction, but in the drawings, but one is illustrated Vl'or the salie el clearness. The circuit closer comprises a pair of spring clips and 44 having the curved arms 45 and 46 respectively Which interlock, the arms 45 being arranged Within the arms 46 and held in position by the resiliency or tension ot' the several parts.

47 indicates a U shaped member er loop of fiber or other' suitable insulating material interposed between the adjacent laces of the arms 45 and 45. he arms 45 are flanged as at 48 to prevent lateral disengagement ol' the members and the insulating member 47 is flanged as at 49 to prevent contact With the ai'ms by lateral movement.

The clips 43 and 44 are provided with binding posts 50 and 51 by which they are electricaly connected in the circuit ol' the magnet 89 and are also provided with rings or eyelets 52 to which cords 53 ai'e attached. rThe cords 53 are secured to the limbs of the body so that movement of the latter Will partially separate the clips 43 and 44 by bringing the uncovered or non-insulated ends 54 of the clip 44 into engagement with the ai'ms 45 establishing the circuit to the magnet, operating the ventilator and sounding the alarm. One oi' the spring clips as 44, is connected by a Wire 55 leading to the magnet, from thence a Wire 56 leads to a binding post 57 mounted upon and insulated from the extension 23. From the post 57 a Wire 58 leads to a relay 59 a battery and back by a line 61 to a post 62 similar to the post 57 and also mounted upon the extension 23, the circuit being completed through a .vire 63 connecting the post 62 with the post 50 on the clip 43.

closes a circuit 64 oi" a battery 65 in which is interposed an alarm bell 66 and an indicator 6,7 arranged at central o'l'hce vand which designates the particular grave from which the signal is sent.

The upper end ol' the extension 2S is covered by a hood. This comprises a sheet metal cylindrical member 66 having a cenical rootA or top 69 secured thereto. The lovver edge of the portion 68 extends a considerableldistance below the upper end ol' the conduit and the hood is tightly closed except at the bottom, in this nay preventing all Weather Yfrom entering the conduit. 'lhe hood is supported by a plurality el' arms 7l) secured both to the hood and the adjacent portion of the extension 23. lt should be understood that the hood is large enough to lorm an ample air passage 71 between the same and the conduit pipe. The posts 57 and 62 are arranged belenv the hood above mentioned and are covered irom the Weather by a conical hood 72 secured to the extension 2 and having its flanged upper end 73 extending upwardly into the portion 68 of the hood.

The device above mentioned is lel't in position several days alter the interment, aiter which it is removed when it is certain that there is no chance o'lVl revivi'fication. ln removing` the device, the top section or extension 23 is removed, the plug 9 reinserted in the bushing and the conduit i9 unscreWed and removed. lt is obvious that the plug 9 will preven t the dirt 'from entering the casket and suitable means are provided for auto-- matically closing the aperture 2l in the lid i7 as the pipe is withdrawn. l his comprises a metal plate or door 74 which is closed by a spring 75 when the pine is Withdrawn. Secured to the underlace of the lid 17 is a plate 76 having its edges turned over 'forming Ways or guides 77 lcr trie door 74. The plate 76 is arranged beneath the aperture 2l and is provided with a similar aperture 78. The door is held in opened or retracted position by the pipe 19 but as soon as the pipe is removed, the spring 75 automatically shuts the same, closing the opening through the lid.

Having described our invention What We The relay .l

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. in a device ol' the class described, a caslret having a hushed opening in the lid thereof, in combination with an air conduit detachably connected thereto, and a plug tor l Closing said opening, said plug being adapted to be removed ai'ter the pipe is in position and to be replaced before thepipe is removed, substantially as described.

A casket hav` ig an aperture in its lid, in combination with a bushing `lor said aperture comprising an internally threaded cylindrical portion,1 an annular plate extending therefrom and secured to the upper face ci the lid, and an inwardly extending annular i'lange at the lower edge thereof, a removable plug threaded into the opening delined by the last said 'Hang/e, and a removable plate detachably secured to said plug, substantially described.

3. A casket having an aperture in its li l, in combination with an internally threaded bushing arranged in said aperture, an annular flange extending inwardly upon the lower edge oll said bushing, a plug threaded through the opening defined by said flange, said. plug having an annular flange adapted to be seated in the threaded `flange oi' said bushing to limit its movement inwardly, substantially as described.

ln a device o'll the ciass described, a casliet havin@ an aperture in its lid, and a rough box having a lid correspondingly apertured, in combination with an air pipe extending upwardly from the first said aperture and detacliably connected thereto, and a i slide Jfor automatically closing the aperture in the rough box as the pipe is removed, substantially as described.

5. in a device ol' the class described, a casket having an aperture in its lid, in combination with an air pipe extending` upwardly there'l'roni to a point above the ground, a ventilator slidably mounted upon the upper end ol"l said pipe, a spring norm ally tending to raise said ventilator, a latch vl'or holding said ventilator in depressed position, and means operable by movement within said casket for retraeting said latch, substantially as described.

6. ln a device ol' the class described, a casket having an aperture in its lid, in conibination with an air pipe extending upwardly therefrom to a point above the ground, a ventilator slidably mounted in the upper end ot' said pipe and comprising a cylindrical sleeve arranged within the pipe and closed at the top, an annular flange around the upper edge thereol adapted to rest upon the upper end o'l` said pipe when in one position, said cylindrical sleeve being provided with a plurality` ol' longitudinal apertures which extend above said pipe when the ventilator is raised, substantially as described.

in testimony whereoi' we have signed our naines to this specication in the presence ol' two subscribing witnesses.

CARL lt. UMMERMANN. VICTOR G. GUSTAFSON.

lllitnesses L. L. ScnoMsrnD'r, J. Snnnnvn. 

